Rob Blake’s jersey number 4 now hangs from the rafters at Staples Center after it was retired by theLos Angeles Kings on January 17, 2015.Photo: Gann Matsuda/FrozenRoyalty.net

ROB BLAKE JERSEY RETIREMENT: In the final installment of a multi-part series on the Los Angeles Kings retiring superstar defenseman Rob Blake’s jersey number 4 on January 17, Frozen Royalty wraps up coverage with several audio interviews, most of which you will find only on Frozen Royalty.

EL SEGUNDO AND LOS ANGELES, CA — On January 17, the Los Angeles Kings retired former defenseman and captain Rob Blake’s jersey number 4 during a pre-game ceremony at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Over the past few days, Frozen Royalty has brought you a series of stories leading up to the ceremony on January 17, based on exclusive interviews. Below, you can listen to all of those interviews, as well as an interview with Blake after the jersey retirement ceremony.

ROB BLAKE JERSEY RETIREMENT: In part 4 of a multi-part series on the Los Angeles Kings retiring superstar defenseman Rob Blake’s jersey number 4 on January 17, former Kings defenseman and captain Mattias Norstrom spoke exclusively with Frozen Royalty about Blake, both as a player, and as a person.

EL SEGUNDO, CA — With the Los Angeles Kings’ retirement of superstar defenseman Rob Blake’s jersey number 4 coming up tonight, Kings alumni, most notably, several of his former teammates, have made their way back to Los Angeles to pay tribute.

As one might expect, Blake’s long-time defensive partner and close friend, Mattias Norstrom, is one of those former Kings who has returned to the Los Angeles area to honor Blake.

“It means a lot to me,” Norstrom said about Blake’s jersey retirement. “I’m probably the player who’s been on the ice the most with Rob Blake. I can’t see that there’s been another player in this league who has been on the ice at same time [as much as Norstrom].”

“I’ve seen it up close, his performance on the ice,” Norstrom added. “But more importantly, I see the behind the scenes—the person that Rob Blake is. That means more to me than the player that he became. But we’ve been in this lovely game where you mesh it with what you accomplish on the ice.”

ROB BLAKE JERSEY RETIREMENT: Frozen Royalty begins a series of stories covering the Los Angeles Kings retiring Rob Blake’s jersey number 4 on January 17. Exclusive interviews with one current and two former Kings players will help us handle the first task…dealing with the big elephant in the room.

Former Los Angeles Kings superstar defenseman Rob Blake, now the team’s Vice President/Assistant General Manager, will have his jersey number 4 retired by the team on January 17, 2015.Photo courtesy Los Angeles Kings

LOS ANGELES AND EL SEGUNDO, CA — As we get closer to January 17, the day when the Los Angeles Kings will retire former superstar defenseman Rob Blake’s jersey number 4, there is that big elephant in the room that should be dispensed with, one way or the other.

To be sure, there are Kings faithful who resent Blake for the way he left the organization after the 2007-08 season. Some also hold a grudge against him regarding his departure at the trade deadline during the 2000-01 season.

Former LA Kings defenseman Mattias Norstrom (center), was honored by the Kings
during a pre-game ceremony on October 30, 2010, when the Kings hosted
the New Jersey Devils at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Photo: Los Angeles Kings

EL SEGUNDO, CA — During the Los Angeles Kings’ February 14 practice session at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, California, a strange, yet familiar figure was taking in the goings on, both on the ice and off.

This player patrolled the Kings blue line for more than ten seasons, serving as their captain from the 2001-02 season through 2006-07. The physical, stalwart blue liner was a warrior on the ice, a competitor as tough as they come—not necessarily in terms of dropping the gloves—and he always was the consummate professional.

FROZEN ROYALTY EXCLUSIVE: It was not so long ago that the Los Angeles Kings dressing room and training room might have looked more like a hospital ward than anything else. After all, back in 2002-03 and 2003-04, they set unofficial records for man-games lost to injury. Retired head athletic trainer Pete Demers had to treat all those injuries, and Frozen Royalty takes a long, hard look back at those disastrous seasons, as well as more of Demers’ thoughts on the mechanics of injuries, their treatment, and their prevention. Part ten of a series.

The logos of the Los Angeles Kings, the 29 other National Hockey League teams, and of the National Hockey League, are trademarks of their respective rightsholders and are used with permission of the National Hockey League.